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Skunked - what, AGAIN ??

FRI 06MAY2011 Tried to get out of the office by 14h30 - my week was done and nothing was waiting for me. As usual the Friday PM gang shows up - that's why i always try to get my week dunn AZAP on FRIDY. Did not get out of the office until 15h00...Winds were supposed to be good around this time and crazee later. Well, unfortantely only the 2nd part was correct $%^&* Git there and NO-ONE there nor on the water. My w/s buddy shows up and a van with dakine bags too. No-one is moving. Okay, winds at about 10 knots max, i'll rig as big as i brought - 8.5 no cam loose on the 160 light winder. Can you say schlogg ?? Go back in at the boat ramp at Pte-Claire. That shoulda bin my warning. Start at the high water on the beach and go downwind and waves to the ramp ie both wind and wave goin the same way.

Sit n chat with Helmut and then it starts pickin up - oooh maybe it will be okay now ? I make no adjustment and i already have issues just gettin off the beach area. I go and it takes off. Schloggin b4 - so now let's do some downwinders. oooooooooo i'm flying... starting to feel a little overwhelmed in that no adjustments and just keep getting faster n faster. Tack and back in upwind slightly. Next run out and WOWEE. Two(2) more runs and i am dunn, butt guess what - i am now out about 250 yards and really overpowered. Try to swim it in. Make it to the wave breakers at the harbour - no boats in water yet. Can`t do anything here %?&*()

Keep swimmin towards shore. When i am almost at shore a small motorboat passes and asks if i am okay. At that point i was tryin to use some sailpower to get to shore. yeah, i`m okay and did i know there was no coast guard on the water? yeah - i can imagine that - there does not seem to be coast guard available in the summer either ?&*(

Made to the park just down from the harbour. Seemed to have collected some spectators by this point :-) Went to get the van and there was someone waterstarting. Wind was down now and a fellow who was out last week in 6 foot waves did NOT go - he was waiting for the wind to pick up. He weighs 200 lbs , uses an 85 liter board and 5.x sails !!!

Did i have fun. oh yeah - nothin keeps me down - just another lesson and a warning. Perhaps i am not ready for Pte-Claire yet - i like Captain Morgan where i can hide in windshadow if needed ...The good news was no gloves and no hood ...

Hope your early sessions this year are better than this one - and donut let it get you down, Bruce :-)

I schlogged at first circle 12 mph or 10 knots and then flew overpowered at 2nd circle of 18 mph, but gusts up to 25 !!

Thanks Redsurfbus, butt i Redeemed myself the next day :-) Went out on the local river in 10 to 12 knot westerlies with the BIC Dufour longboard and the 8.5. Sun was shining and there were decent gusts. Took off the jacket of the farmer john, put on the harness and had a blast. Even the car honkers were on the bridge again. It seems to make people happy to see me windsurf on the river and an older fellow said as much. Well, it made me happy and hope i am in a better mood for mother's day now :-)Happy mother's day to all !!!

I was a longboarder for over ten(10) years and wonder if i am going back ? I have been looking at boards like the Kona and even the Serenity. Light to mid winds can be a lot of fun and one does not need to wait for consistent "good" winds ...Newer longboards are flatter underneath and do plane as well. We had really big winds in the spring, but those winds were too strong for an average joe windsurfer like myself. One cannot even use one season to make the call - never the same year to year. The same applies here to other seasonal sports like X-country and alpine skiing... Local windsurfers are using the lighter winds to play on land with windskates. I am going towards the longboard...

About Me

I am just an average joe windsurfer who tries to get as much time on water as possible and to learn about all the technicalities of wind, sails, masts, boards, fins and lately repairs :-(
Perhaps what sets me apart in Montreal is I also windsurf on ice and snow:-) Am still working on the ideal snow model ...
Started this blog as a windsurf journal and then just got carried away...